In a Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) network, Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) serve as access points which can support wireless communications with user equipment devices (UEs).
A CBRS network often includes one or more Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) with relatively small coverage areas as compared to a macro base station or access point. The CBSDs are used to provide services to subscribers' user equipment devices. Spectrum is granted to each of the CBSDs using a centralized system called the Spectrum Access System (SAS). The Spectrum Access System is a central processing and database system that receives and processes spectrum grant requests. In the CBRS network, interference is managed through power management of CBSD devices by the Spectrum Access System (SAS). The SAS stores information regarding which CBSD uses how much spectrum at which location in the CBRS network. When a specific amount of spectrum is granted to a particular CBSD with a specific transmission power, the SAS calculates the coverage of this CBSD by using a pre-determined path-loss model. Each SAS provider is free to use a path-loss model that fits itself the best, therefore there is at least 7-10 dB in calculated coverage using different path-loss models. There is currently a technological problem in how to accurately estimate a CBSD's coverage and thereby efficiently allocate resources, e.g., frequency bandwidth allocations and/or power transmission allocations, that efficiently and effectively utilize the limited frequency spectrum available to the CBRS network. One of the important objectives of the FCC is to utilize the available frequency spectrum in the CBRS network as efficiently and effectively as possible.
From the above it should be understood that there is a need for new and/or improved methods and apparatus for more accurately estimating a Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device's coverage area and reducing the differences in CBSD coverage estimations by the CBRS Spectrum Access System. Additionally, there is a need for new and/or improved methods and apparatus for efficiently managing CBSD power transmission levels to reduce electromagnetic interference while optimizing CBSD devices coverage area using more accurate estimates for a CBSD's coverage area.